Radiographers plan to strike next week

Patients expecting elective surgeries and appointments with a radiographer will have to wait, as strike action is set to take place.

Hospitals across the country are having to reschedule patients and some elective procedures as 11,000 radiographers are expected to strike from October 29 to November 4.

APEX, the union that represents medical imaging technologists (MITs or radiographers), says they will be striking for 24 hours on October 30 and November 1. Reduced services will be available on October 29 and 31, plus November 4.

APEX national secretary Dr Deborah Powell said that after nine months of pay bargaining, talks had not improved the situation.

An offer by district health boards had provided some improvements, she said, but DHBs had withdrawn a promise to backdate. ‘‘That’s utterly unacceptable.’’

A Wairarapa DHB spokeswoman said the strike meant it needed to reschedule appointments for about 15 to 20 patients.

The advance notice of possible strike days meant the DHB could plan, she said.

‘‘If we have appointments already booked on those days, we bring them forward wherever possible, rather than back.’’

However, this meant patients might need to visit twice, rather than having an X-ray and a clinic on the same day.

The Capital & Coast and Hutt Valley district health boards said some appointments and surgeries had been rescheduled.

Wellington’s Emergency Department will be able to do limited X-rays during the strike, and people with non-urgent injuries are encouraged to see their doctor or visit an after-hours medical centre.

The Kenepuru Accident & Medical Clinic will also have limited X-ray capacity.

‘‘People who visit the ED or the Kenepuru Accident & Medical Clinic, and who are assessed as having non-urgent needs, will be referred to another provider or may be asked to return the next day,’’ the Capital & Coast DHB said.

Hutt Valley DHB said the hospital would continue to provide imaging for patients in acute cases.